Bursting with action, adventure and mystery, it is no surprise that Rooster Teeth’s RWBY has surged in popularity since its debut in 2013. The anime-style web series takes place in the fantasy world of Remnant, where danger and deception lurk around every corner, and skilled warriors known as Hunstmen and Huntresses are tasked with protecting their world from the terrifying creatures of Grimm. Huntresses-in-training Ruby (Lindsay Jones), Weiss (Kara Eberle), Blake (Arryn Zech), and Yang (Barbara Dunkelman) are at the heart of the series, which follows them as they go on adventures, fighting both human and supernatural enemies and uncover life-altering secrets about the world they thought they knew.

RWBY certainly delivers in the action department, with most episodes featuring epic brawls. While I enjoy a good fight scene, what I find most endearing about the series is its characters. Heroes and villains alike are brilliantly written, each having complex personalities and motivations. The approach taken towards the characters’ personal struggles is thoughtful, with their varying insecurities and traumas being portrayed in a way that is both realistic and engaging. It becomes apparent that the inner demons our main characters face are as real as the monsters they tackle as Huntresses.

The tireless efforts of the creatives at Rooster Teeth are evident in how far RWBY has progressed since its first volume. The improvement in animation is remarkable, the plot is increasingly compelling, and the voice actors’ performances only grow more persuasive. Composer Jeff Williams and singer Casey Lee Williams consistently produce excellent music for the RWBY soundtrack, which is integral to the series’ success.

As RWBY is a web series, episodes are short compared to those of most cartoons and anime, allowing viewers’ attention to be quickly captured and easily held. Additional content comes in the form of clips focusing on specific characters and aspects of the RWBY world, as well as comedy shorts known as RWBY Chibi. The cast and crew have a strong social media presence, notably uploading interviews, podcasts, behind-the-scenes content and spoof videos to the Rooster Teeth YouTube channel, a level of interactivity made possible by the web series format.

RWBY is available to stream on the Rooster Teeth website and the Rooster Teeth YouTube channel. If you are looking for an animated series that is a perfect mix of fantasy and science-fiction, with an interesting plot and multifaceted characters, look no further.